Everyone Needs a Hero
by Jason Thompson
Summary: Peter and MJ both have big secrets that are about to come out in the open...


Everyone Needs a Hero  
A Spider-man Fanfiction Story  
Author: Jason Thompson  
Pilamsega@qix.net  
May 3, 2002  
  
Disclaimer:Once upon a time there was a guy he wrote a story with characters and settings he didn't own, but he put a disclaimer on his story and that made it a little less illegal. Spider-Man was created by Stan Lee and Marvel Comics. Sony Pictures owns some rights too.   
  
Category:Peter/Mary Jane  
  
Spoilers:The Film  
  
Warnings:  
  
Summary:Peter Parker isn't the only person with secrets…   
  
Rating:Rated PG-13  
  
Distribution:Ask First.   
  
Notes:  
  
Dedication:Dedicated to the usual suspects; Genova aka Schweet, Bri, Mary, Duchess, Dale, Blaire, Stone Cold, Ice Wing, Arashi, Aslan, Vega, Tony D, Jen Zimmer, Louise, Sairs, and Queen Angel who have allowed me to bounce my ideas off them, and Krac, cause she has the evil bunny slippers.  
  
Everyone Needs a Hero  
  
Peter Parker sat in his class trying to concentrate on his professor's lecture, but failing miserably. His attention was focused on a two inch scar on his left forearm. It was the most visible reminder of the last year of his life, given to him in one of his battles with the Green Goblin. It was a mark that separated him from everyone else on the planet… or at least New York. Peter Parker was a Super-Hero, the Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man to be exact.  
  
He was rapidly becoming something of a fixture in New York. He'd seen kids playing Spider-Man on the playground, a guy in his earlier class was wearing a Spider-Man T-shirt, Hell he'd even heard Marvel Comics was going to do a comic based upon him… He smirked to himself. A comic book? Based on Spider-Man? That would never work.  
  
But that fame had come at a terribly steep price. He'd lost or distanced himself from everyone he loved and closed himself off socially. It started that day in the cemetery, as he walked away from Mary Jane, effectively giving up on the one dream he had since he was six just as it was coming true, he realized that she wasn't the only person he was endangering. He made arrangements the next day to have his Aunt May sent out west to live with Uncle Ben's brother. It had been a hard fought battle with her, but he finally convinced her it just wasn't safe for a woman her age to live in New York City anymore.  
  
The next step had been considerably easier. Harry moved out a week later to live in Osborne Manor. Just three weeks had passed since the death of Norman Osborne, and Peter Parker had effectively died. There was little more to him than a Driver's License, a Tuition Check and a few utility bills. All that was left inside the body of Peter Parker was Spider-Man.  
  
Truth be told, he liked it better that way. It allowed him to focus on what had become his endless penance for the sin of apathy, a sin that cost him his Uncle Ben, the man who was his father in every way but birth. He could never waver, never deviate, never allow himself a moment of rest, never look away from his Crusade, because if he did, he was sure the guilt would be crippling.  
  
Peter looked up at the feeling he was being watched, he found the less than casual glance from a near-by female admirer. He smiled inwardly; a year ago he would have given everything up to receive this kind of attention. It was ironic, because he had given everything up, and all he wanted was to be left alone.  
  
He returned to his blank page of notes and his inspection of that two inch patch of scar tissue, as though the pink line had the answers to life's problems. He sighed, the scar didn't have the answers, and he had already answered his problems by walking away. He would not allow those he loved to be hurt because of what he is, so he abandoned them. No. Peter didn't abandon them that made it sound like he snuck out like a thief in the night. He'd pulled away from them for their protection. Sighing again, Peter realized that "pulling away" didn't sound any better. However, pulling away was all he could do.  
  
He distantly heard the professor release them, and he watched as the students packed up their things and filed out. He lazily reached over his shoulder and plucked his back pack off the back of his chair. He closed his notebook and slid it between his books and his camera case. Zipping up his bag he stood up and found himself face to face with his not so secret admirer from earlier. She smiled at him, "Hi."  
  
Peter smiled politely in return, "Hi."  
  
"Listen, you're Peter Parker right?" Peter nodded, "That guy who takes pictures of that creepy 'Spider-Guy' right?"  
  
Peter shook his head, "You mean Spider-Man, and yeah."  
  
The girl smiled, "My name's Terri, I was wondering if you'd like to have a cup of coffee and some company?"  
  
Peter smiled for a moment before he felt what he'd come to affectionately call his "Spider-sense" go crazy. Looking over Terri's shoulder, he saw a familiar head of red hair wading through the crowd. He quickly looked around and found that he was basically trapped. "I'm sorry Terri, I'd like to but I can't."  
  
Terri nodded, "I understand… girlfriend. I'll see you around Peter."   
  
Terri walked away, just as Mary Jane walked up to him. "Hey Peter."  
  
Peter suddenly felt the need to escape, at the same time he felt nothing more than the urge to gather her in his arms… He shook that thought off. "Hey MJ."  
  
Mary Jane reached into her pocket, "Listen, I know you see Spider-Man a lot. I was wondering if you could give him this," She produced a note from her pocket and handed it to him. "I gotta go." She turned and left.  
  
Peter looked down at the note for a long time. He sat down at a desk in the now vacant classroom. He set down his backpack and looked again at the folded piece of paper. Turning it over in his fingers he debated on the merits of reading it. What could Mary Jane have to say to him?  
  
Finally Peter unfolded the note and noticed it was only a request to meet her on top of her building at Midnight. Peter folded the paper and placed it in his pocket, then grabbed his bag and left.  
  
***  
  
Mary Jane watched the New York Horizon, waiting for the arrival of Spider-Man… Actually, she was awaiting the arrival of Peter Parker. She had figured it out. The familiar taste on her lips after kissing Peter, the same tingle Spider-Man had left on her soul, it was the last piece of a growing realization. It had all clicked, Peter's weird behavior after that field trip, the way he saved her in the lunchroom, the fight with Flash… Then Spider-Man comes out of nowhere? It fit so perfectly… Too Perfectly.  
  
Peter, riddled with perceived guilt for the death of his Uncle, had taken upon this crusade. Mary Jane bit back tears, this man who she'd fallen in love with, twice really, was hurting to a depth she might never understand. So much pain it must be killing him. No wonder Peter was desperately afraid of caring for people, to the point he'd push her away and get his Aunt away from him. He was afraid for them, what he was doing could get them hurt or killed. That would in turn kill Peter.  
  
All she wanted to do was hold him and let all the pain wash over her. She wanted to be his rock, Spider-Man could protect New York City, but she wanted to protect his heart. She'd scare away the demons Spider-Man couldn't fight, the ones that haunted Peter.   
  
She'd make him understand that he needed her, to keep him human. She knew without people to care for, Peter might eventually give up.   
  
If Peter Parker thought Mary Jane Watson was afraid to risk her life to love him, he was a one Hell of an idiot.  
  
A flash of movement halted Mary Jane's silent pledge. Looking off to her left, she found Spider-Man crouching on the ledge, not even ten feet away. Amazing, she'd been looking for him, and still he'd come seemingly out of nowhere. The note she had given Peter was at her feet, "I got the invitation, seems awfully subdued for a party."  
  
Mary Jane smiled, "It's not a party."  
  
She could almost imagine his eyebrow quirking under that mask, she had seen Peter do it many times. "Oh really? What is it?"  
  
Mary Jane stood off the blanket she had laid out, "Kind of an intervention."  
  
"Alright, I'll admit it, I'm addicted to Cheez-Itz, they're just so tasty…"  
  
She shook her head and chuckled, she then crossed the roof to him. She just looked at him in silence, staring at her own reflection in the lenses on his mask. She could almost will herself to see through the lenses into his eyes. She took one more step and leaned towards his ear and her next sentence was carried on the faintest of breaths, "I know a secret…" She felt her mouth stretch into a predator's grin. "A secret of yours… Peter."  
  
She felt him tense, she pulled back, still smiling. Peter meanwhile was as tense as steel cable, his mouth seemed to be opening and closing under his mask, trying to find words. "Mary Jane… I, ah… I-I-I, well I think you're confusing me for someone else…"  
  
"I doubt it. See I've done a lot of thinking. First there was 'Peter's' sudden illness on the field trip to the Science Lab at ESU, then the way 'Peter' saved me in the lunchroom, the fight with Flash… Then you come mysteriously into existence. That night in the alley, you said the same thing Peter had said, you were in the neighborhood…"  
  
Peter laughed, rather uncomfortably, "Wow, it's not Woodward and Bernstein, but it is quite a tale you're spinning."  
  
"Am I?" Peter just folded his arms over his chest, "Tell me Spider-Man, I can guess why the Goblin might go after me, I mean we've been seen together. But why would he go after Aunt May? She's never seen Spider-Man."  
  
"I… Well, that is…"  
  
Now it was Mary Jane's turn to fold her arms over her chest, "Oh wow, you could lead debates with these arguments. Why don't you just admit it?"  
  
Spider-Man sighed, then before she had realized he moved, they were web-swinging away from her building. She wasn't paying attention to where they were going because she was entirely lost in the feeling of pressing against Peter. She hooked her arms around his neck and had sciccored her legs around his waist.   
  
She felt them touch down and she looked around to see they were on top of the Cingular sign in Time Square. He led them out of the lights, "I come here to think sometimes." Mary Jane looked around the scaffolding behind the billboard. Peter turned around, "I thought we could do this a little more privately…" Peter first pulled the gloves off his hands and tucked them in the waistband of his tights. He reached up and hooked his thumbs underneath his mask but paused, taking a deep breath he said, "Here goes… everything I guess."   
  
She bit her lip while Peter lifted the mask from his face and off his head. She smiled into the familiar blue eyes she was now graced with. Mary Jane crossed the small distance between them slowly, afraid it was a fragile dream. Peter looked away and down, embarrassed by the attention she was giving him. She reached out and tucked her fingers under his chin, gently turning him to face her again. She smiled up at him, "Hi."  
  
Peter smiled, "Hi."  
  
"This is why, isn't it? Why you don't think you can love me. Why you don't think you deserve my love. I'm right, aren't I?"  
  
Peter's mouth moved soundlessly for a while, "I'll only get you hurt…"  
  
She silenced him a finger, "No Peter. That's an excuse. You don't get it, I'd rather live a day knowing you're loved the way you should be, then a thousand years knowing you're living alone and in pain."  
  
"MJ… I can't lose you… I've lost Uncle Ben… Not you too."  
  
She smiled, "I hate to break this to you Tiger, but anything could happen in this life, just because the next supervillian can't use me against you, doesn't mean something can't happen to me." Peter looked away, "Wouldn't you rather at least give us a try?"  
  
"I don't know if I should…"  
  
She shook her head, and pulled Peter's mouth to hers. She felt Peter's arms wrap around her and crushed her against his chest. She broke the kiss and pressed her forehead against his, "God Peter, I love you so much. I need you in my life, I need to be with you. Don't shut me out Peter. Please."  
  
Clenching her eyes shut, Mary Jane steeled herself against another of Peter's half-hearted protests to her love for him. She wasn't going to let him leave here without realizing they were meant to be together. When Peter's reply reached her ears, Mary Jane questioned her hearing for a moment, "I love you too MJ… If we're going to do this, you'll have to know everything…" Peter took a step back and pulled his mask back on, following suit with his gloves. "Give you a lift to my place?"  
  
She smiled, "Peter Parker, what kind of a girl do you think I am?"  
  
"I think you're the kind of girl who has a lot to hear about a certain wall-crawling crime fighter."  
  
***  
  
Mary Jane watched Peter swing off into the night after he had dropped her off in front of his apartment building, he swing off and double back around in a few minutes. She felt his door key in her palm and waiting until she saw him disappear around the corner then she entered his building. Her steps were slow, almost unsure.   
  
Peter had said the story of what he became wasn't a pleasant tale, if she wasn't in the apartment when he doubled back he would understand. A part of her was afraid of just how dark Peter's tale was, but she had promised herself she'd be there for Peter. With new resolve she ascended the stairs to Peter's floor and almost marched towards his door. She quickly inserted the key in his lock and opened the door. She turned on the lights and noticed the now Spartan décor. A chair, table, couch, a small TV and a lamp were all Peter had. Mary Jane crossed the room and sat on the couch.  
  
She heard a thump come from Peter's room and she assumed it was him. Her assumption was confirmed a few minutes later when Peter descended the stairs. He was dressed in a pair of jeans and an old T-Shirt, her hand was drawn to the object in his hand, the red mask that haunted every petty criminal in The Big Apple, the Spider-Man mask. He crossed the living room, to the far end of the couch.  
  
The silence settled over the room for a while, she slowly slid across the couch and laid her head on his shoulder. She took his free hand and interlaced their fingers, "Take all the time you need Peter."  
  
She felt Peter breathe in deeply then he began, "It all started the night you and I talked in the backyard, I decided I needed a car…"  
  
***  
  
Peter carried Mary Jane's sleeping form up to his bed where he tucked her in. He took his spare blanket and took a seat. He looked out the window to watch the sun first rays threatening to spill over the horizon. He smiled and turned to the sleeping redhead in his bed. Last night had been full of tales, and tears, both mostly on his part. Mary Jane had held on and been a rock, she offered her comfort support and love.   
  
He had told her everything, from the wrestling promoter, to Uncle Ben, to Norman Osborne and how afraid he was when the Goblin answered her phone. She listened and didn't once run screaming from the apartment, which was a lot more than he expected.  
  
Peter dropped his blanket and sat down gently on the bed next to her. He crept under the covers and was rewarded by MJ sighing happily and rolling over wrapping her arms around him in her sleep. Spider-Man may have been New York's Superhero, but Peter Parker's Superhero was Mary Jane Watson. That was fine by him.  
  
--End-- 


End file.
